Button loading mechanism for sewing machines



arch 30, 1965 YOUNG, JR 3,175,703

IN VEN TOR. DARCY ANDREWS YOUNG,

ATTORNEY i d States Patent Patented Mar. 30, 1965 3,175,703 BUTTONLOADING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES Darcy Andrews Young, Jr.,Brighton, N.Y., assignor to Rochester Button Company, Rochester, N.Y., acorporation of New York Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 203,918 2 Claims.(Ci. 214-1) The present invention relates to button feeding apparatusfor sewing machines, and more particularly to an improved apparatus fordelivering buttons to the button gripping jaws of a commercial typesewing machine.

Commercial sewing machines for sewing buttons on fabric are equippedwith a button chuck comprising a pair of jaws for holding a button justabove the fabric onto which it is to be sewn, and in registry with thesewing machine needle. To speed up the loading of buttons in the buttonchuck, devices have been developed for automatically delivering buttonsfrom a button supply to the jaws of a button chuck.

One such device is disclosed in the copending US. patent application ofRoy H. Hendrickson, Serial No. 820,975, which was filed June 17, 1959,now Patent No. 3,042,254 and assigned to the same assignee as theinstant application. The device includes a transfer arm having aplurality of button-centering pins projecting from one face thereof. Abutton of the type having a plurality of holes therein is fed from asupply onto the transfer arm in such manner that the button-centeringpins enter the holes in the button. Thereafter the transfer arm is movedto insert the button into the jaws of a sewing machine button chuck fromthe back of the chuck, and is then returned for another button.

After a button has been sewn in place on a piece of fabric, such as amans shirt front, the sewing machine operator pulls the fabric forwardlyto dislodge the button from the jaws and to sever the thread, by whichthe but ton is sewn to the garment, from the bobbin or other supply inthe sewing machine. Sometimes the operator is not fast enough and beforeshe has dislodged the button and the fabric, a new button will bebrought to the jaws by the transfer arm. In such case, heretofore thenew or incoming button had to strike and dislodge the button then in thejaws, together with the fabric to which the latter was sewn, before thenew button could enter and be chucked between the jaws. This contactbetween the buttons, or between the new button and the fabric onto whichthe preceding button was sewn, has tended to dislodge the new buttonfrom the button-centering pins on the transfer arm before it has beenproperly positioned in the button chuck, thus causing incompletetransfer and interruption of the sewing cycle.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus fordelivering buttons into the jaws of the button chuck of the sewingmachine without using the incoming button to dislodge the button then inthe jaws of the chuck.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the typedescribed in which the button transfer arm is provided with means forclearing the button chuck before inserting a new button thereinto.

Another object is to provide an improved button transfer mechanism whichwill speed up the overall sewing operation, and which will obviate anydifficulty if a slow operator fails to dislodge a button in time fromthe button chuck after it has been sewn on the fabric.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital of the appended claims Whichconsidered in conjunction with the attached drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical view of a button feeding apparatusbuilt according to one embodiment of this invention, and showing thebutton transfer arm in its button receiving position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of this feeding mechanism, and showing also partof a sewing machine button chuck, and the button transfer arm in dottedlines in the course of its swing from its button receiving position toits button delivery position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the button transfer arm at the end ofits delivery swing, in a plane parallel to the plane of FIG. 2, andshowing the plow on the transfer arm as it engages and forces out of thefront of the button chuck, the preceding button and the material towhich it has been sewn; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the button carrying endof the transfer arm.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the transfer arm hasfour locating pins which project upwardly adjacent the free end of thearm to enter the holes of a button and locate the button on the arm. Thearm is pivoted about its opposite end to carry individual buttons from asupply chute rearwardly into the spring-tensioned jaws of theconventional button holding clamp or chuck of a commercial sewingmachine.

Also projecting above the free end of the transfer arm is a further pin,or plow, which is positioned in front of the button-holding pins, toenter the button chuck jaws in advance of the button-holding pins duringdelivery of a button into the chuck jaws. The plow urges from the jawsthe button which is then in them, and also pushes away from the jaws thefabric to which this latter button has been sewed. Thus the device ofthe present invention insures proper chucking of successive buttons inthe jaws and speeds up the overall sewing operation.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, 11 designates abase plate which is adapted to be secured on a table or stand at oneside of a sewing machine proper. Mounted to overlie the table is one endof a chute 12 forming part of button feeding apparatus of the typedisclosed in the above-noted copending application. Chute 12 has anopening or hole 13 through which buttons B from a hopper supply droponto four buttoncentering pins 15 that project upwardly from the freeend of a pivotal transfer or swing arm 16 disposed in button receivingposition beneath the hole. The pins 15, which are spaced from oneanother in correspondence with the holes in the buttons being fed, areadapted to pass through the holes in a button B to hold it for transferto the jaws of a button chuck. All four pins 15 are spaced rearwardly ofa circular pin or plow 17 which also projects upwardly from arm 16 atits free end for a purpose to be described below.

The transfer arm 16 is secured to a shaft 18 that is oscillatably andreciprocably mounted in a pedestal 19 that is secured to or is integralwith the base 11 of the apparatus. The shaft 18 is mounted at its lowerend in a bushing 21 that is carried in pedestal 19, and is formedintermediate its ends with a collar 22 which is adapted to slide andoscillate in a bearing 23 formed integral with pedestal 19 or with aplate 37 that is secured thereto.

Swinging motion of the shaft 18 to swing the button carrying pins 15from a position of registry with the hole 13 to a position between theconventional clamping jaws 25 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of an adjacent sewingmachine is effected by operation of a cam 26. This cam has a cam path 27formed in one side face thereof in which there engages a roller orfollower 28. This roller or follower is mounted upon a slide 29 (FIGS. 1and 2) which has rack teeth formed integral therewith at its forwardend.

3 These mesh with the teeth of a pinion 31 that is integral with orsecured to the shaft 18.

The shaft 18 is adapted to be lifted and lowered by a lever 32. Thislever is forked at one end to straddle the shaft 18 and to engagebetween the shoulder 22 and a second, axially-spaced lower shoulder 33also turned on the shaft. At its opposite end lever 32 carries a roller34 which engages in a track 35 of the cam 26. Lever 32 is pivotedintermediate its ends upon the stud 36 that is threaded into a plate 37that is integral with the base 11 and projects upwardly therefrom.

The cam 26 is secured to a shaft 41 which is journaled in the plate 37.This shaft is adapted to be driven from a motor (not shown) through apulley 42 (FIG. 2) and belt 43. Pulley 42 is secured to a shaft 44 (FIG.2) that is connected by a conventional one revolution clutch 45 with theshaft 41. The one revolution cluch 45 is adapted to operate when asolenoid 46 on base 11 is energized. The locking dog of this onerevolution clutch is adapted to be returned to locking position by acoil spring 47.

The operation of the apparatus will be understood from the precedingdescription, but may be summed up briefly here.

When cam 26 is rotated, cam track 27, slide 29 and pinion 31 willoperate to swing arm 16 through an arc to transfer a button from beneathopening 13 into the jaws 25 of the button holding clamp of the sewingmachine. As the free end of the transfer arm approaches the rear of thebutton chuck jaws (FIGS. 2 and 3), the plow 17, which is in advance ofpins and of the new button B carried thereon, passes first between thejaws (FIG. 3) and engages and urges the button B then in the jaws, andthe fabric F to which it is sewn, out of the front of the jaws. Thisclears the jaws, prevents interference with the incoming button B, andpermits this button to :be placed properly between the jaws. Afterdelivery of the button to the button holding jaws, cam track and lever32 operate to lower shaft 18 and arm 16 to clear the pins 15 from thenewly-delivered button, cam track 27 operates through slide 29 andpinion 31 to swing the arm 16 back again until pins 15 align with hole13, and cam track 35 operates through lever 32 to lift the arm andcomplete its return to starting position with the pins just below thehole 13.

The solenoid 46 for one-revolution clutch may be energized in the samemanner as in the above referredto copending application.

It will thus be seen that by the relatively simple expedient ofemploying an ejection pin or plow 17 on the transfer arm of thedisclosed mechanism, applicant has eliminated any physical contactbetween the incoming and outgoing buttons in the sewing machine buttonchuck. This eliminates the possibility of dislodging a button from thetransfer arm. Moreover, the plow 17 also removes from the path of theincoming button the fabric to which the preceding button had been sewn,thereby aiding the sewing machine operator, and speeding up the overallsewing operation.

While the plow 17 has been described as being a round pin, it obviouslycould be shaped differently provided it precedes the pins 15 between thebutton chuck jaws to clear the way for the incoming button.

While the invention has been described in connection with one embodimentthereof, then, it will be understood that it is capable of furthermodification, and this application is intended to cover any variations,uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, theprinciples of the invention, and including such departures from thepresent disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the artto which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essentialfeatures hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of theinvention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a button feeding mechanism for transferring buttons individuallyfrom a button supply to the jaws of a button chuck in a sewing machine,

(a) a pivoted transfer arm having a button supporting surface adjacentone end thereof,

(b) a plurality of pins fixed to said arm and projecting perpendicularlyfrom said arm parallel to its pivot and adjacent said one end thereof toenter holes in a button on said surface and hold the same on said armduring the movement of said arm,

(0) means to pivot said arm between said button supply and said buttonchuck to insert a button carried by said pins between said jaws from therear of said jaws, and

(d) a further pin fixed to said arm and projecting perpendicularly fromsaid arm and spaced from the first-named pins and closer to said one endof said arm so as to pass between the jaws of said button chuck inadvance of the button held by said firstnamed pins upon movement of saidarm from said supply to said button chuck.

'2. Apparatus for loading buttons into the .jaws of a button-holdingchuck on a sewing machine, comprising (a) a rigid pivotal transfermember,

(b) a group of pins fixed to said'member and projecting parallel to oneanother from one face of said member adjacent one end of said member,

(0) at least one further pin fixed to said member and projecting fromsaid one face thereof, and being disposed between said group and theterminus of said one end, and

(d) means to pivot said member from a first position in which a buttonis placed over said group of pins in spaced relation to said furtherpin, toa second position in which a button carried on said group of pinsis urged between the jaws of the button-holding chuck from the rear ofsaid jaws,

(e) said member being operative during movement thereof to said secondposition to pass said further pin into said button chuck jaws in advanceof the button carried by said group of pins thereby to clear said jawsto receive the last-named button.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,321,990 Burkey June 15, 1943 2,505,468 Forca Apr. 25, 1950 2,609,110Tesch Septp2, 1952 3,042,254 Hendrickson July 3, 196.2

1. IN A BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING BUTTONS INDIVIDUALLYFROM A BUTTON SUPPLY TO THE JAWS OF A BUTTON CHUCK IN A SEWING MACHINE,(A) A PIVOTED TRANSFER ARM HAVING A BUTTON SUPPORTING SURFACE OF PINSFIXED TO SAID ARM AND PROJECTING (B) A PLURALITY OF PINS FIXED TO SAIDARM AND PROJECTING PERPENDICULARLY FROM SAID ARM THEREOF TO ENTER HOLESIN AND ADJACENT SAID ONE END THEREOF TO ENTER HOLES IN A BUTTON ON SAIDSURFACE AND HOLD THE SAME ON SAID ARM DURING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM,(C) MEANS SAID PINS BETWEEN SAID JAWS FROM THE REAR OF SAID PLY AND SAIDBUTTON CHUCK TO INSERT A BUTTON CARRIED BY SAID PINS BETWEEN SAID JAWSFROM THE REAR OF SAID JAWS, AND (D) A FURTHER PIN FIXED TO SAID ARM ANDPROJECTING PERPENDICULARLY FROM SAID ARM AND SPACED FROM THE FIRST-NAMEDPINS AND CLOSER TO SAID ONE END OF SAID ARM SO AS TO PASS BETWEEN THEJAWS OF SAID BUTTON CHUCK IN ADVANCE OF THE BUTTON HELD BY SAIDFIRSTNAMED PINS UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM FROM SAID SUPPLY TO SAIDBUTTON CHUCK.